New Friend
by Icarii Enchantress
Summary: This story is a real bit of a thinking story. So, I don't exactly know how to write a summary for it.
1. New Friend

Author's Note: I don't know why I'm posting this. Most of you may not understand it. But if any of you do read it, but don't understand half of it...email me and I'll try to explain it.  
DISCLAIMRE: I don't own them - damn!  
  
  
JAKE  
  
My name is Jake. I'm an Animorph, and have been for the past five years. Maybe more.   
After a while you start to forget insignificant things such as time. What started out as a   
hopeless war against the Yeerks has recently become a new hope.  
Many things have changed since we first started to fight the Yeerks and Visser Three. But   
Visser Three recently became Visser One, with much more power amongst the Yeerk   
hierarchy. He gained a little respect when he managed to kill half the Yeerk peace movement.   
That shocked us, because some of the Yeerk peace movement would give us inside   
information and tip us off about Visser Two's new plans.  
In terms of the Animorphs, it's still the six of us - Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, Marco, Ax and me   
- although we do have human allies. We managed to free a few Human-Controllers over the   
past couple of years, not many, but enough to form a sort of back up support group. We chose   
not to give them the power to morph for security reasons. Most of them have never seen us   
as humans, so they could not identify us if they were ever recaptured. We trusted only one   
person with our identity - Zoë - and she lives, most of the time, with the free Hork-Bajir,   
teaching them about Earth and learning more of Earth's languages.  
Another change to our little band of heroes is that now Tobias is a human again. He, and   
Zoë who in-advertadly helped, managed to save the half of the Yeerk peace movement that   
survived Visser Two's mass murder. The Ellimist had played a game with us, and we had won,   
so he had to give us something that we all wanted. The catch was that we all had to agree on   
it. We asked for Tobias to have his old body back and still be able to morph. The Ellimist   
complied, then asked Zoë what she wanted in payment. She asked to be able to help us   
whenever we were desperate, but to mainly help the free Hork-Bajir. The Ellimist gave her the   
power to morph, and she swore only to ever use it if we needed back up.   
The end of the Yeerks is near.  
Not a few days, weeks or months near. But close enough to have hope.   
Now that we've all finished High School, we have a little more time to prepare for attacks on   
the Yeerks. Ax and Zoë spend their time learning about the Yeerks from the Hork-Bajir ex-  
hosts, and learning about the Hork-Bajir in general. Zoë even started writing a book on them,   
hoping to one day publish it, even if it is only perceived as fiction.  
The information they've gathered has been more than useful. It as helped us damage the   
Yeerks in ways we could have never imagined.   
The end of the Yeerks is near.  
  
************  
One day, after college, Cassie, Rachel, Marco, Tobias and I flew to the Hork-Bajir oasis that   
the Ellimist created. Ax and Zoë were going to meet us there. So, in the sky there was a   
collection of birds of prey that would make any bird-watcher ecstatic.  
We were still a good five minutes away when we spotted the Hork-Bajir and Zoë sitting   
around a little campfire, and could hear Zoë telling them a story.  
"...The seven dwarfs made Snow White feel very welcome. In return for their kindness,   
Snow White cooked and cleaned for the seven funny little men, while they were at work in the   
mines. One day, Snow White had a visitor at the cottage. It was the evil Queen, but Snow   
White did not know that. The Queen tempted Snow White to eat the apple that she had   
poisoned...." She was speaking slowly so the Hork-Bajir could get a grasp of what she was   
saying. She stopped talking. She must have spotted us on the horizon, because she started   
waving to us and calling out "hello." That was when we spotted Ax. He'd been standing under   
some trees, out of sight, listening to the story.  
Hey, Zoë, Ax and Hork-Bajir, Marco said in widespread thought-speak as we neared.  
We landed in front of an old oak tree and demorphed back to human. Marco started to say   
something to Zoë:  
"You know, Zoë. Technically you're in my college English class, under the category of home   
schooled, and you have never attended a single lesson, yet you still manage to get the highest   
scores in the grade. How do you do that?"  
Zoë smiled. "I have good inspiration for my stories. Plus, I have plenty of time to think."  
Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak came out of a nearby cave to welcome us. Funny, we've   
become friends with the Hork-Bajir who live in this valley, but everytime I see them, I can't   
help but feel freaked out by their appearance.  
Rachel handed Zoë a package. "This is the latest the college had to send you," she said.  
"Thanks."  
Prince Jake, have you picked up anything amiss in the college due to Yeerk presence   
lately? Ax asked sticking to business as usual. I guess that's what war does to you.  
"Not anything lately, but we've kept an eye on most people from High School that were   
suspected Controllers. I think the Yeerks are still hiding out." I turned to Zoë. When she had   
aligned herself with us, she had told us everything she knew about the Yeerks, but avoided   
the question about her position in Visser One's command. "We've overheard a few Controllers   
talking about you, and the price on your head placed by the Visser. Why would he be so   
desperate to recapture you, not the free Hork-Bajir or the 'Andalite bandits'?"  
Jara, Ket and Toby, who had appeared from the top of a tree, looked puzzled, while the other   
Hork-Bajir were performing some sort of feeding ritual.  
Zoë led us to the cave the Hork-Bajir had given her as a home. It was smaller than most   
because only one person lived in it, but strangely comfy. When she had first been freed we   
helped her bring down furniture from her home, as well as nonessentials. It was, despite the   
fact that it was a cave, quite comfy.  
She motioned for us to sit down. Then she told us a story...  
*************  
  



	2. Bedtime Stories

ZOE  
  
My friends sat down on the ground. They asked me to tell them why Visser One was so   
desperate to get me back. After all, I was just one Controller, wasn't I? I'm scared that if I   
tell them my secret, they won't trust me. They might, but maybe not.  
I took a deep breath, while they waited patiently. Patience is something you can learn   
from war. Maybe. Maybe not. I always thought patience was a virtue not everyone could   
keep.  
"I have to basically tell you my life story for you to get the explanation," I warned them.  
"We have all night," Tobias told me warmly, inviting me to tell the story.  
I dived into my long story.   
"I was taken as a host controller when I was fourteen - that would have made you all   
about fifteen - basically five years ago. My father had died a month before I was born. My   
mom, Sam, was in the Air Force, and away on duty when I was taken as a Controller. The   
plan was that the Yeerks were going to use me to get to my mom, who would then be able   
to get to the head military officials. Didn't turn out that way. My mom was killed in a   
training mission. The F1-11 that she was test flying overheated and exploded." I fought   
back the tears that threatened to overtake me. "Visser One, well Three at that time, was   
ticked off about that, but it wasn't a terrible loss. They had me.  
"My mom used to always tell me about what she did in the military. I was planning on   
joining anyway, after I graduated from college as a scientist. So she explained how things   
worked. Jets, technology, even the computer systems. I knew and understood everything   
about the military. The Yeerks were more than happy to get that knowledge. I was less   
than thrilled, but I managed to keep my anger under control and was able to trick the   
Yeerks into thinking I was a voluntary host, which I wasn't.   
"Anyway, the Visser was pleased with me as a host because I had, not only the military   
knowledge, but I was a low level child genius..."  
"That's why you always beat my English scores!" Marco interrupted, as if he'd struck   
gold.  
"Party,' I replied before continuing. "I could read anything, very quickly, and be able to   
recite it, word-for-word, two hours after reading it. And at that time, I had just come back   
from five years of traveling with my mother because of her work. I'd lived in Japan for a   
year, England for a year, Spain for a year and Australia for two years. So I knew a lot   
about other countries which was information that Visser One needed if they were to invade   
other countries. So, for five years, until I met you lot, I was like Visser One's advisor on   
how to invade Earth, well the Yeerk in me with my knowledge was anyway.   
"Anyway, later on the Yeerk in my head, Sundra nine-eight-nine, began to hear about the   
Yeerk peace movement. She didn't tell the Visser what she'd found out, which surprised   
me. What surprised me more was that later on when we were having an in-head fight   
again, she asked me whether I really was a voluntary host."  
"You mean to say that the Yeerks hadn't realized you'd been faking it, when they can   
access every part of your mind?" Cassie interrupted. I was grateful for her interruption.  
"If you become a voluntary host, as a sort of compromise, one part of your brain   
becomes your own sort of haven. The Yeerk won't, or maybe can't, access it.   
"Anyhow, I told her I wasn't. I never tried to see what was happening inside Sundra's   
head so I didn't know the next the thing she was going to say to me. She told me she was   
a part of the Yeerk peace movement, and that next time she was in the Yeerk pool, I   
should escape. And I did. That's when I ran into you." I finished my story. The others   
looked shocked, but not like I'd betrayed them.  
Rachel then asked me another question. I was beginning to get sick of them at the   
moment. "Ok, that's understandable about why he would want your head. But how does   
he know you're not dead or captured as a raving lunatic yet?"  
"Simple, when I went down to the Yeerk pool, after you told me Tobias went down there,   
Visser One saw me. Not only that, he put another Yeerk in my head to find out how I   
escaped. He found out that Sundra was part of the Yeerk peace movement and everything   
that she had told me. Tobias was being help in an electromagnetic cage above the Visser   
so I couldn't help him after the Yeerk left me. The Visser was going to kill me for insolence   
after I'd pledged allegiance to the Yeerks. But not before he made me watch the Yeerk   
peace movement members be exterminated. Somehow he had found out every single   
member and when they had re-entered the pool he had them captured.  
"He took Tobias and me to where he was keeping them. It was a separate pool and was   
nearly empty of Kandrona fluid, so much so that I could make out the Yeerk bodies. Visser   
One had let Tobias out of the cage, and...."  
Jake interrupted. "Wait a minute, how come Visser One didn't find out who we were?   
The other Yeerk was bound to be able to have found that out!"  
I stood up and walked out of the cave and ran to a nearby stream. I never used to cry at   
the drop of the hat, but after five years of enslavement to the Yeerks, I had found friends   
and they had trusted me, and now all that trust was gone. I sat down at the edge of the   
stream and cried and cried and cried. It may sound wimpy. But I wanted nothing more   
than to be trusted by them. And to have Jake question me like that! I would never let that   
information get out to anyone.  
I was so upset I didn't notice Toby standing behind me. When I first came to live with   
the Hork-Bajir, they made me promise not to tell the Animorphs where they went to free   
more of their kind. So in return for that promise I told them everything I had told the   
Animorphs not minutes before, and they had taken me for who I am. A teenage girl, who   
is unnaturally gifted in the learning sense, but confused as to why her world is so screwed   
up.  
That's why Toby, the young Hork-Bajir seer, and I were the best of friends. She, like me,   
was a bit of a freak of nature, not only in the physical appearance area, but also in the   
Hork-Bajir community as she can see things the others can't. She can predict things that   
will happen, the same way I can ace a test I haven't studied for.  
"What's wrong?" Toby asked me. I told her what happened and why I was so upset. I   
thought of blaming the whole crying thing on thinking about my mom, which was part of   
it, but Toby would have seen through that and would have been hurt that I didn't tell her   
the truth.  
*****************  
RACHEL  
  
"Jake that wasn't necessary!" I exploded at my idiotic cousin. Zoë had become almost a   
close a friend as the Animorphs were, yet here goes my cousin, not trusting anyone.  
"Rachel, calm..." Cassie started. Marco, Ax and Tobias were staying way out of the way   
in this fight. Smart move.  
"No I will not calm down, Cassie. She trusted us, and at least I trust her. If Jake were   
paying any attention at all, he would have realized that she didn't know that we were   
humans when we told her Tobias was down in the Yeerk pool. But no, there goes Jake,   
putting his leadership over the line..."  
"Rachel, SHUT UP!" Cassie screamed.  
I shut up, shocked that Cassie had screamed.  
"Rachel, Jake didn't do anything wrong. He asked a reasonable question. The Yeerks   
could have easily found out who we were," Cassie said softly.  
I ignored her. Something I have never done. I walked to the entrance of the cave and   
looked out. I saw Zoë sitting by the bank of a stream with Toby. They were talking. Well,   
Zoë was talking and crying. That made me mad. I stormed back into the cave.  
"Jake. You made her cry. Now, I feel really bad about that, and I wasn't even the cause   
of it. What's even worse, she's one of the most wanted freed controllers, both her parents   
are dead, she's confined to live in a community of aliens because they're friendlier than we   
are, and she confides in one of them, when it should be one of us."  
Jake didn't have an answer for that. Neither did Cassie, thank god. Tobias stood up.  
"I'll go talk to her." He left the cave.   
"See," I said to Jake. "At least someone has some sense."  
*****************  
ZOE  
  
Toby always was good to talk to if you're feeling down. She has a way of making you   
feel better, especially if you're really, really upset. She left when Tobias came to talk,   
saying that it was better talking to someone of my own species and planet. But she didn't   
sound bitter. Just knowledgeable.  
Toby was named after Tobias, who had helped her parents, Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak   
escape. When Toby was born, they named her after him.   
Tobias sat down where Toby had been, not one minute ago. I looked at Tobias. I had   
seen him once before I was a freed controller, meaning when I was a Controller. When   
Visser One told him that Elfangor was his father. I had to research him on the computer   
before he could be found. That was something I am never ever going to tell him. But even   
though the years of war had made him look older, wiser maybe, he still had his boyish   
good looks...What am I talking about? He is not even remotely interested in me, so it   
doesn't matter. But, thanks to him, I'm still alive.  
"Jake didn't mean to say it like that, you know. Back in the cave," he said.  
I nodded and wiped away a few tears. "I know. Sorry about running out. I just have a   
thing about trust. You know, I had complete trust in my mother, and her in me. I have   
complete trust in you guys, but do you all trust me?" I asked.  
He laughed. "Yeah, we do trust you. Rachel very much so. She was beating down on   
Jake back there. But I guess the yelling can be brought down to stress. Rach hasn't had   
the best of time's lately."  
Even though tears were still creeping down my cheeks, I couldn't help but laugh with   
Tobias. "Now I feel bad. Poor Jake! Having Rachel go off at him!"  
Tobias looked at me carefully. "You okay?"  
"Yeah. Look, I don't need special treatment, just a little faith. And trust."  
"You ready to go back in there?" he asked.  
"Probably not, but I'll still go if...if you tell the rest of that story. You were there. You   
saw it." I could feel tears welling up in my eyes again, for no reason at all.  
"No problem," he said, standing up. He helped me up and led me back to my home. It   
may sound sad that I have to live in a cave, but it's not too bad. I get a lot of freedom.   
The Hork-Bajir usually have a sentry on guard at night. And I occasionally help in that   
area. But usually I tell them about Earth. I tell them stories. Help them grasp English etc.   
Then later on I go back to my cave and do my college assignments and get Rachel or   
someone to drop them in for me.  
I walked back in the cave with Tobias, who squeezed my hand for support. I sat down   
next to Rachel, and Tobias sat next to me. He started where I left off.  
"Visser One had let me out of the cage, because, well, I couldn't escape even if I wanted   
to. He picked up a gas pipe and asked one Controller to turn on the gas, then lit it up.   
Basically, he made a homemade blow torch.  
"He started to turn it onto the peace movement, but Zoë kicked him and his aim was   
altered to one side of the pool, whereas before it was aimed directly at the center which   
would have destroyed all of them. I flew at him and managed to damage his stalk eyes   
and while he was busy reeling in anger and pain, Zoë managed to get a door open and we   
escaped. Amazingly, their underground hideaway has a back door, that nobody uses."   
Tobias sounded pleased with his explanation of what happened.   
I swallowed hard. "I thought that if I came here to the Hork-Bajir and worked with them,   
I would have proved to you that I am trustworthy."  
"Zoë, I'm sorry about before," Jake said.  
I smiled. "Hakuna Matata."  
I even managed to make Marco laugh, which is rare. I haven't seen the Lion King in   
years, but that phrase has never ever left me. I don't think it ever will.  
"Just do me a favour," I said. "Never listen in on my story telling again. I totally suck at   
retelling fairy tales!"  
**************  
That night, after talking with the Animorphs, then with the Hork-Bajir, I lay on the   
mattress I had brought into the cave from my house listening to my CD player which I'd   
also brought along. Rachel went and bought me batteries whenever I needed them. It   
gives her a reason to go to the mall. I was listening to one of my favourite songs - My   
Love by Westlife.  
So I say a little prayer  
And hope my dreams will take me there  
Where the skies are blue  
To see you once again, my love  
Over seas from coast to coast  
To find the place I love the most  
Where the fields are green  
To see you once again  
My love.  
A little bit sappy, but also true in life. I was a prisoner not allowed to see the world. Ok,   
well prisoner is a little harsh. I wasn't free, well I was, but not.  
"Great. Now I'm confusing myself," I said to no one. "I might as well have asked 'What   
came first, the chicken or the egg?'" I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.  
"The egg came first," a voice said from the entrance of the cave. I bolted up in my bed.   
"Relax," the voice said. I knew that voice. "Hey, relax. It's only me, Tobias."  
I sighed. He demorphed and walked in.  
"I thought you might like some company. Don't get me wrong, the Hork-Bajir are sweet,   
but there's nothing like someone of your own race to keep you company," he said. "By the   
way, I like that song."  
I laughed. "How long have you been there?"  
He shrugged. "I flew over. Hawks have amazing hearing. I should know. I was one for a   
good part of five years."  
"Yes, well thank you for your offer. I'm afraid I'm not that good a company at the   
moment," I admitted.  
He considered this. "Ok then. How about we go flying?"  
"Tobias, you know I told the Ellimist that I would only morph in an emergency."  
"Then he'll have to take it up with me. Come on. I heard Cassie gave you a red-tail hawk   
morph."  
"Yeah. It was hurt, I think it had a broken wing."  
"Ok, then morph."  
"Wait a sec, I'll tell Toby where I'm going. Sometimes she comes to talk at night." I ran   
out and told Toby what I was doing and ran back to the cave, where Tobias had already   
morphed.   
Come on, Tobias said.  
I concentrated on the hawk DNA in my body. I had morphed it once before, so I knew   
what to expect from the bird's instincts. But from the actual morphing, well, it is gross and   
will always be gross.  
Once I was a bird, Tobias led the way outside. I followed him up and up. It's not too   
easy to see at night with hawk eyes, but they're better than human eyes.  
I'm looking to the sky to fly, I sang inside my head, but I must have sung it out loud   
because Tobias heard it.  
I didn't know you could sing, he said to me.  
If I'd have had a mouth, I would have smiled. Not many people do.  
We flew around town for about an hour and a half, leaving us with just under half and   
hour before we had to demorph. We came to Tobias' apartment, which was a couple of   
doors down from Jake and Marco's apartment - they were flat mates. Tobias had left a   
window open so that he could fly through. So I followed him in and demorphed inside.  
We sat and watched TV and talked in general, mainly about college classes and that kind   
of thing.  
"After this war, what are you going to do?" he asked me.  
That one stumped me. "Uh, well what I do now qualifies as anthropology - so I have that   
on my resume. Uh, scientist - specializing in astronomy and physics, and probably a   
writer. After the Yeerks are gone I am definitely going to publish my book on the Hork-  
Bajir. Then one on animals - a dictionary on animal behavious and instincts." I laughed.   
"Yeah, right. First the Yeerks have to leave."  
"Don't you think they will?" he asked.  
"Yeah, eventually they will. But at the moment, I have nothing to do, except help the   
Hork-Bajir learn enough to be able to survive when they do leave. Don't get me wrong I   
love the Hork-Bajir to death. I'd go insane without them." I looked at the clock on Tobias'   
wall. It was late. "I'd better get going, Toby might start to get worried."  
Tobias laughed. "She sounds like a mom."  
I laughed as well. "Yeah, she acts like one as well." I stopped laughing when I heard it   
start to rain. I looked out the window. "Oh, you've got to be joking. How the hell am I   
supposed to fly in this weather?"  
Tobias closed the window. "It doesn't look like letting up anytime soon. You can sleep in   
my room. I'll make up the couch for myself," he said.  
I looked at him as if he was mad. "Tobias, I will sleep on the couch. I think I can handle   
a comfy couch, after all, half the time I sleep on a cave floor."  
"You sure?" I nodded. "Ok."  
I looked around the apartment. "Tobias, where's the bathroom?"  
"Down the hall, first door on the right." He started making up the couch for me.  
I found the bathroom, walked in and closed the door. This was not good. Ok, so it was   
good. Great even. I mean, I was staying with the guy I was in love with. I shook my head.   
What was I thinking? This is not good. 'Ok,' I thought. 'All I have to do is sleep until   
morning, thank him for his kindness, and get the hell out of here.'  
I splashed water on my face and wiped it with a towel. I opened the bathroom door and   
walked right into Tobias.  
"Ohmygod! Tobias, I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking." I had basically walked into his arms.  
Tobias looked sincere. "Don't worry about it. I wasn't looking either."   
I was still in his arms and he wasn't showing any signs of letting go anytime soon. That   
was okay with me.   
He lowered his face to mine and kissed me. I kissed him back. We walked into his room   
and closed the door. One thing I can say, I didn't sleep on the couch.  
**************  
  



	3. Dangerous Games

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!  
Tobias got up to answer the door. I heard Jake and Marco's voices come into human   
hearing range. 'Oh, crap,' I thought. Tobias must have thought the same thing because he   
came back into the room and put on a shirt and trousers over his boxers. He looked at me   
saying sorry with his eyes.  
I mouthed 'it's okay' to him, then 'close the door.' He got both messages, smiled and   
closed to door. I fell back onto the bed, content with falling back to sleep. Then I   
remembered where I was supposed to be.  
I got out of Tobias' bed and opened the bedroom window all the way and morphed to   
hawk.  
Tobias, I have to get back to the valley. I'll see you later. Don't worry about the   
interruption. I'll see you later. I knew he couldn't answer. But I knew he close enough to   
get the message.  
I flew out of the bedroom window and headed back to the Hork-Bajir's secret valley.  
***************  
TOBIAS  
  
I heard Zoe's message. I knew she'd be out of here in about a minute. I felt really guilty   
about that. Now all I had to do was get Jake and Marco out of here and go and talk to her.  
"So, did you watch the game last night?" Marco asked me.  
"What game?"  
"Oh, man. You missed one hell of a gridiron match last night. The Chargers totally   
annihilated the Rangers," Jake said, like he couldn't believe I hadn't seen it.  
I shook my head. "I was a little busy last night." I looked out my front window. I saw a   
red-tail hawk flying in the opposite direction. Jake and Marco must have noticed what I   
was looking at.  
"A friend?" Jake asked me.  
I nodded. "You could say that."  
Suddenly...  
TSEEW!!!!!!!!!  
The hawk started falling down through the sky. Now I was very panicked. The others   
didn't know she had that morph, except Cassie. But a red-tail hawk morph was one that   
Visser One always looked out for.  
I ran over the window and opened it, then started morphing to hawk. I wouldn't get   
there in time, but if they saw another hawk, they might think that they'd hit the wrong   
bird. I hoped.  
"Tobias, what're you doing?" Jake hissed.  
I was now fully morphed. That was Zoë, I practically yelled. It was so stupid of me to   
forget that during the day, one red-tail hawk is going to be guessed as an Animorph by   
Controllers.  
Even though I was halfway to where Zoë had been hit, I could still hear Jake and Marco.  
"What????!!!!!!!!!!!!!" They didn't seem happy to hear this.  
I finally reached the spot where she'd been hit. It was an alleyway behind a corprate   
building of some kind. I scanned the alleyway. No Zoë. I felt like flying into a wall. No,   
wait, I've done that before. It hurt a lot.  
I noticed an Osprey and a Peregrine Falcon, flying closer to me.   
Care to explain, Tobias? Uh, oh. Jake sounded a little ticked off.  
Ok. She was a little down yesterday, so I persuaded her to go flying with me to cheer   
her up. We went back to my apartment and when she was about to leave, it started to   
downpour, so she couldn't fly back to the valley. So she slept on the couch. Ok, so that   
wasn't quite true, but they didn't have to know the complete truth.  
But the couch was made up when we got there, Marco said like a know-it-all.  
Yeah, she'd just left as you guys arrived, meaning she'd made up the couch, I said   
impatiently. They were questioning me when we had a bigger problem: Visser One had   
Zoë, who he wants to kill more desperately than he wants to kill us. So I told them so.   
Could we get back on track please. Visser boy there has Zoë. Was anyone paying   
attention to her story yesterday, or were you too busy questioning her credibility?  
I started to fly in the direction of the Hork-Bajir valley.   
**************  
ZOE  
  
I woke up in a cage, with the most incredible headache and extremely blurry vision.   
Then I realized I was still in hawk morph. That made me remember what had happened.   
Partly.  
The last thing I remembered was flying out of Tobias' bedroom window and getting hit   
by a Dracon Beam. It must have been a modified one because Dracon Beams don't knock   
anything unconscious and leave side affects. I should know, I was taught how to fix them.   
Oh the joys of being Visser One's pet!  
Wake up, my little Andalite. Speak of the devil. Literally.  
I made a sound with my hawk beak. I really couldn't understand what it sounded like; I   
was way too out of it. The Visser didn't know two of us had hawk morphs so I might be   
able to fool him. Maybe. Maybe not. Probably the latter, but hey, a girl can try.  
Speak, Visser One roared. I tried to block out the sound. To my hawk hearing, it   
echoed all over the place, making my headache worse.  
WHOOSH.  
Suddenly I was human again, no where near Visser One - who was frozen in the   
background. I had to sit on the ground to stop the wave of dizziness that passed over me   
from making me collapse. It was like time was stopped. I knew of only two people, well,   
two beings, who could stop time.   
"Ok. Ellimist or Crayak. Whoever is stopping time, please show yourself, I'm in no mood   
for this." I'm pretty sure I sounded slightly drunk.  
"Well, for someone who seems completely without control of her own thoughts, you   
certainly are perceptive." Crayak appeared in front of me.  
"Yeah, whatever. What do you want?" I was still sitting on the floor with my head in my   
hands. "Do you have any aspirin?" I asked him.  
Crayak laughed. "What do I want? Well, creation wiped out would be nice, but since this   
isn't about that, that's not what I want. This is a little visit to discuss the fate of your   
friends."  
I whipped my head up so fast that I got struck with another wave of dizziness. "What   
about my friends," I said, fighting it back.  
"Well, you see. In your current situation, you are about to be interrogated by Visser   
One. And he will break you and find out that you are indeed his once loyal protégé. Then   
he will find out the identities of the other Animorphs and then he will kill them in front of   
you. Then you will die."  
"I thought you couldn't know the future for certain?" I said.  
"Oh, that applies for what happens over a long period of time. This scenario happens   
over the period of a day."  
That shook me. "What do you want me for?"  
"You have a choice...."  
"God, you sound like Ellimist."  
"...You can give your life in exchange for your friends. Or you can keep your life and   
then they lose theirs and eventually you lose yours."  
"Fabulous choices," I remarked. Crayak actually thought it was a hard choice for me to   
make. "Fine, kill me."  
Then it all went black.  
*****************  
RACHEL  
  
I may not be in love with Tobias now, and he may not be in love with me, but it still   
hurts to see someone, who is a really close friend, fall to pieces. And Tobias did that. Not   
majorly. But kind of in a guilt way. He said that it was all his fault that Zoë had been killed.   
All his fault. But it wasn't his fault. It was just bad luck and really bad timing.  
Here's what happened.  
After Tobias told the Hork-Bajir that Controllers had captured Zoë, we went to find a   
possible Yeerk Pool entrance. When we couldn't find one, I gambled that the one in the   
dressing rooms of The Gap might still be there, minus the Gleet BioFilter and whatever   
else that had posted after our first little excursions. I was right, and we all managed to get   
into the tunnels undetected, which is where we morphed, and for Ax, demorphed. Marco   
went Gorilla, Jake went tiger, Cassie wolf, Ax went Andalite and I went Grizzly. Normally   
Tobias would have used his hawk morph, but my excuse for him using his Hork-Bajir   
morph is that he wasn't in the right frame of mind.  
So, after we morphed, we went and crashed Visser One's little party. Only, we couldn't   
see him. So, ten Hork-Bajir and ten Taxxons later, we stumbled upon a room containing   
Visser One and a human Zoë, who looked like she was knocked out. The Visser was not   
happy with us, or with the discovery he'd made, although it was a little incorrect.  
So, my Andalite friends. You were not content with your own species. You had the   
audacity to brainwash my most loyal follower and give her the ability to morph. Oh, he   
sounded really ticked off. Well, let me tell you this, Andalites. You will not claim anymore   
humans and give them the ability to morph. Nor will you have this girl as a companion and   
informative.  
He retreated through a back door, it seems he has placed many of these back doors in   
his underground city, and dropped Zoe's body on the ground. That's when I realized that   
she was dead. I don't really know when everyone else realized it. I saw Tobias start to   
demorph.  
Tobias, stop. Visser One still doesn't know that we're human. He thinks Zoë was the   
only human.  
Jake also voiced what he thought was the way to go. Rachel's right. Tobias, stay in   
morph. Marco, carry Zoë out of here.  
Jake, where are we going to go with a dead body. I mean a bizarre entourage of   
animals is weird enough. I thought Cassie was really brave. Not only was her bluntness   
amazing, but I knew Tobias would have a go at her for it. But Tobias didn't move, so I   
assumed Cassie hadn't used thought-speak directed at him.  
I looked at Jake. He was pacing like a, well, like a tiger. Jake, what about the Chee? I   
asked him.  
Good idea. Tobias. Tobias turned to face Jake. Tobias, demorph and morph to hawk   
and get Erek. We'll meet you behind the mall.  
No. I'm staying here. I had no idea what had happened between Zoë and Tobias, and   
I had no desire to find out, but I was assuming that they were dating or at least liked each   
other.  
Tobias, when we get out of here, we can't have you going and attacking Hork-Bajir and   
Taxxon unnecessarily, I said, hoping I sounded nice and understanding. We need Erek   
here so he can hide Zoë so we can get somewhere safe.  
I saw Tobias hesitate, but then start to demorph. When he was fully human, he went   
over to Zoë and picked her up. I thought Zoë had had the palest skin I'd ever seen. Now   
she was even whiter, she really looked like death. After he picked her up he carried her   
over to Marco, and handed her to him.  
What? Don't you trust me to pick her up? Marco joked. It was cover to hide what he   
was really feeling.  
"No." Tobias' bluntness shocked me. He started morphing hawk. When he was done, he   
flew straight out of the room and made a break for the entrance.   
After he was out of sight, the rest of us walked out of the room, surrounding Marco, and   
ready for anything that Visser One threw at us. Amazingly there was nothing.  
We walked out and Visser One stood there watching us go. He probably thought it was   
hilarious that one of us had been killed, and at his hands as well. I kept waiting for him to   
launch his army of Taxxons and Hork-Bajir at us. But we made it to the back of the mall   
without any trouble at all.   
Tobias and Erek had beaten us there. I later found out that was because Erek had been   
shopping for some reason.  
"Erek, we need your help to get Zoë back to the Hork-Bajir valley," I said as soon as I'd   
regained my human mouth.  
"No problem. Lead the way."  
So we did. We all took turns walking and flying as scout overhead. All but Erek, who   
can't morph. But he did put out a hologram to hide Zoë while we were walking towards the   
woods that led to the valley.  
The Hork-Bajir were shocked and saddened that she had been killed. She had been the   
only human, besides us, who could talk and relate to them. She had taught them, with   
help from Toby - who was already pretty smart for a Hork-Bajir. But then again, she is a   
seer.  
The Hork-Bajir had said that they'd help us dig a grave for Zoë in the little valley that   
had become her home. While the H-B were digging a grave for her, we all sat around her   
body and kind of said our last good-byes to her. Tobias sat quietly and wouldn't even talk   
to me about it. But then a thought seemed to hit him.  
"How did she die?" he asked, looking for any visible wounds.  
I guess we'd all been too upset to even have asked ourselves that question. In fact, now   
that I thought about it, I saw no possible physical way for her death. The only mark on her   
body was a scar she had on her wrist from when she was a Controller - she'd been grazed   
by a H-B blade. But otherwise? Not a single scratch or mark on her entire body. No   
blood...nothing.   
She may have died from internal damages, Ax said quietly.  
I shook my head. "Ax, that may be true, but I know she didn't die from any natural   
causes. She was in perfect health - she morphed me so she could go to her doctor. And if   
Visser One, say, crushed her heart or lungs, there would still be visible damages on the   
skin."  
"Since when did you become a doctor?" Marco asked me cynically.  
I shot him a look that, hopefully, said "Back off. This is not the time." I think he got the   
message.  
Toby came and told us when they were ready. If it's possible for a H-B to cry, then Toby   
was definitely crying.  
Tobias picked Zoë up in his arms and carried her to the spot the H-B had picked out. It   
was in one corner of the tiny valley, surrounded by trees and next to the stream that   
flowed through the valley. Then he did something I didn't expect. He kissed her. Then he   
placed her in the ground and the H-B filled in the dirt and we had our version of a funeral.  
"Ket miss Zoë," Ket Halpak informed everyone. "She teach. Ket learn."  
Next, Jara Hamee spoke. "Jara learn, Jara remember. Life worth it."  
I suppose the last comment confused us humans, but Toby explained to us.  
"Zoë always said that if life was worth it, in the end death would mean nothing   
compared to what you have achieved. She said she thought life was worth it." She stopped   
to think about what she would say. "Zoë, you said that your life was worth it, especially   
after you escaped Yeerk control. But your life meant more to the Hork-Bajir than you can   
possibly know. And if you still think that your life was worth it, then so do I."  
Everyone was sort of quiet after that. I guess that made me nervous. I had to say   
something. "Zoë, we never thought of you as someone we couldn't trust. You always   
laughed, and always taught others. Hey, Zo-zo the yo-yo, life will never be the same." I   
couldn't help but smile at the nickname I'd given Zoë the first time I'd actually had a   
conversation with her. She'd been playing with a yo-yo. The nickname seemed appropriate   
at the time.  
I half expected Tobias to say something, but he wasn't even paying attention. Just   
looking at the sky.  
I knew the others wouldn't say anything, they didn't know her as well as Tobias and I   
did. But they did say goodbye. When I looked up again, I didn't see Tobias. A shadow   
crossed through the valley and I looked up. I could see Tobias floating just above the   
treetops.   
"Want to talk about it?" I asked softly, so that the others didn't hear it.  
Not really, he replied, sounding determined. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have   
something to do. He started to fly off, and I knew what he had to do, or, I suppose,   
wanted to do.  
And I was really mad. "Tobias, come back here. NOW!!!!!!!" I screamed at him. It must   
have been really loud because not only did Tobias come back, but half the birds in the   
surrounding, but I also scared the living daylights out of Cassie, Jack, Marco, Ax and the   
H-B.   
He demorphed and I suppressed the urge to punch him, because if it had been me in his   
place about a year ago, I would have done the exact same thing. But it wasn't me   
anymore. Not after so much war. I had to maintain some sanity. Tobias always seemed   
like the most levelheaded, and if he lost it now, so would I.  
"Tobias, you are not going on a suicide mission," I said.  
He looked at me like I was mad. "Excuse me? If you were me you would have already   
gone there and gotten yourself killed. Why are you allowed to do it and I'm not?"  
"Key word here, Tobias: would. Not am or are or about to. Would." I sighed. "Listen, she   
was my friend as well. I loved her like a sister, like I love Cassie. Like I love all of you. But   
you can't do anything to bring her back. It was an accident. No one's fault. Not yours, not   
mine. Not hers."  
It seemed to shut him up. I hated to be so harsh, especially about this. It was now   
apparent to me that they were in love. And this revelation didn't help. Jake was looked   
uncomfortable, like he didn't know what to say. No way was he up to taking charge. And   
this wasn't a mission, I would be fine with taking charge.  
"Everyone, go home and get some sleep. And Tobias," I said looking directly at him.   
"Tobias, you stay with Ax tonight, okay? No suicide missions. Losing someone else isn't   
going to help, and we've only just begun to get the upper hand in this war." Tobias nodded   
at me. Jake nodded in approvement of my orders.  
We all went our separate ways - Marco and Jake to their apartment, Ax ad Tobias to   
Ax's meadow and Cassie and I to our apartment. It was a quiet flight home (flying out of   
the valley is the easiest way in every sense).  
Back at our apartment, Cassie and I sat on the couch. And I cried.  
****************  
We informed the College that Zoë had been killed in a hit-and-run accident, and that   
she'd been buried in Vancouver, near her mother's grave. They bought the lie and even   
said that they'd hold a memorial service later that week.   
We thanked them for that because we hadn't given her a really good funeral. That was   
mostly my fault, and I apologized to Tobias later on.  
***************  
Just before the memorial service, we had a long discussion about what we were going to   
do. We had found out that Victor Trent - Visser One's human morph would be attending   
the ceremony. We made it clear to Tobias not to do anything. He'd calmed down a little   
since Zoe's death, but he still wanted to kill Visser One.  
We sat through the service without drawing too much attention to ourselves. Tobias got   
up and said a eulogy. I'd originally been asked by the college to do it, but I told them I   
thought Tobias would be a better choice.   
He managed to get through the speech without breaking down. As he was walking back   
towards where we were sitting, Tobias hesitated as he passed Victor Trent. But he   
managed top keep walking. So much so that he walked out of the room being used for the   
service. There was a girl sitting right at the back of the room. She had brown hair, blue   
eyes and pale skin. I recognized her from somewhere, but I had no idea of her name. I   
probably knew her from one of my many college classes. Anyway, when Tobias passed   
her, she got up and left, trailing after him.  
****************  
TOBIAS  
  
I walked out of the service after I gave my eulogy about Zoë. I just couldn't help it. If I   
stayed there one more minute I was pretty sure I'd go over to Visser One and do as much   
bodily harm as I could possibly inflict.  
As I left, a brunette I couldn't quite pick as any particular person I went to school with   
but I knew I knew her, followed me out. She ran to catch up with me.  
"Tobias!" she called out. I knew that voice. I must have been having deja vou.  
I turned around to face her. My face must have been in an annoyed expression because   
she cringed. I sighed. "I'm sorry," I said. "Was there something I can help you with?"  
"Yeah. Ummm, Tobias you know..." She hesitated, thinking carefully over her choice of   
words. Then she changed the subject entirely. "I know you were going out with Zoë, and   
I'm not asking you out on a date, but could you meet me in front of The Gap after last   
class? You can bring your friends if you don't trust me."  
I was shocked. Only my friends knew that I was dating Zoë. Even they don't know how   
far it went. I raised my eyebrows. "I don't even know your name."  
She ducked her head. "I'm sorry, how rude of me. I'm Sera. Look, I'll be in front of The   
Gap, so if you want to come, then I'll see you there. It's important."  
"Who are you?" I asked, startled by her directness.  
"Sera. And I know about you and your friends. I know about the slugs. I know about the   
Chee." She had spoken softly so that no one else heard her. Then she smiled and left. I   
noticed that she was dressed in all black.  
I waited out the rest of the service in the student's lounge, where I knew my friends   
would find me. When the did, I told them about my encounter with Sera. I still couldn't   
quite picture her. But I knew I'd seen her somewhere.  
"Are you guys sure you don't know her. Light brown hair, blue eyes. My height." I asked   
them.  
"You know, I thought the same thing when I saw her," Rachel said.  
The others shrugged.   
"Sorry, Tobias. I didn't see her," Marco replied.  
Jake, as usual, stuck to business. "Are we going to meet her. She sounds like she knows   
a lot."  
"It could be a set-up," Cassie pointed out. "She could be a Controller."  
I shrugged. "Believe me, if you saw her you wouldn't think she was a Controller. I don't   
know if you saw it Rachel, but she looked so familiar. Like I knew her, but didn't."  
Rachel had made up her mind. The same answer I had to Jake's question.  
In her straightforward way, she said, "We're going."  
And that was the end of that.  
*****************  
  



	4. Guess Who's Back?

JAKE  
  
So after all of our classes finished we left for the mall. With Rachel leading the way, as per   
usual.  
When we got there we saw the girl Tobias and Rachel had described. She was Tobias'   
height, had short brown hair that sat just above shoulder length and pale skin- but it wasn't   
white, white-pale, it was just white-pale. But what got me were her eyes. They were the   
colour of the ocean on a calm day - blue, in every sense. But I'd never seen her before, yet I   
was sure I had known her. She was dressed completely in black - black jeans and a black   
midriff singlet top with little silver stars all over it.  
She'd probably been here a while because she had a couple of The Gap shopping bags and a   
plain black box. We walked up to her and she almost smiled.  
"Thought you might show," she said.  
"Well, you asked us to show," Tobias pointed out. This time Sera smiled. But it was a sad   
smile and directed mainly at Tobias.  
"I'm sorry for Zoe's death. But I guess it's kind of my fault," she said. "But you have to hear   
what I want to say. Come to the park with me and if you still want to kill me or hand me over   
to the police then you can after I talk to you." She sounded reasonable, and I didn't think it   
would come to that at the end.   
But Tobias on the other hand was fuming at what she had said. Sera looked desperate to   
get us out of the mall and into the park. And Tobias' anger was only fueling her desperation.  
"Look, Tobias. If I had the chance to do it all over again I would. The flight home, getting   
shot down, dying, everything if I knew it would keep every single one of you safe," she hissed.   
That caught our attention.   
Suddenly I realized why her eyes looked familiar - they were Zoe's eyes. Sera was Zoë.   
The others seemed to realize that as well. Now Sera, no Zoë, was desperate to get out of   
here. Everyone followed her to the park and we sat down somewhere in the middle.  
"How do we know you're Zoë?" Cassie asked cautiously.  
"You don't," she said. She opened the black box she'd been carrying and took out a blond   
wig and put it on. Then she extended her wrist. "I'm not Zoë physically. But I am her   
mentally, as well as Sera. But from now on I'm Sera." On her wrist there was a scar on her   
wrist that exactly matched the one Zoë had.  
I realized that Rachel and Marco had been silent since we left the college grounds. But now   
Rachel grabbed Sera/Zoe's wrist and looked at the scar.  
"What happened?" she asked. "And what do we call you?"  
Sera smiled a sad smile again. "You call me Sera, either that or you're going to end up   
killing me. Anyway, long story short: I hate Crayak and I love the Ellimist."  
"Why would we go and kill you. After all, you are a reborn version of our dead friend so it   
kinda makes you like a zombie..."  
"Marco," I warned him.  
"What? I was leading up to a non-sexist, non-violent joke," he defended himself.  
"What has this got to do with Crayak and the Ellimist?" Tobias asked her.  
Sera pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. "Listen, later I can talk. But first I   
need to know what you're going to do with me. I was going to re-enroll in college as Sera   
but..." She let it hand there. Then she gasped. "Ohmygod, the Hork-Bajir," she said softly.   
"How are they?"  
"They're okay," I informed her. "And...we're not going to do anything. If you want to stay   
and fight, then you can. Can you still morph?"  
"I could if I'd acquired an animal," she said. "This is a new body with similar markings to my   
old one and a completely new genetic DNA pattern. I don't have any morphs. I only had two   
as Zoë anyway. Why?"  
"Are you going to stay and fight?" Marco asked her.  
"If I'm wanted," she said.  
Cassie walked over and hugged her. "Believe me when I say you're wanted.  
"Ok, I'll stay. But at this very moment I think I'll go visit the Hork-B. I'll catch you later."   
She said as she walked away. She was still wearing the blond wig.  
"Sera. Wig!" I called out. She got the idea and pulled off the wig.  
"Hey, Sera. Was it worth it?" Rachel called out.  
"Hell, yeah," came the far away sound answer. As she passed a bin, Sera threw away the   
wig.  
****************  
SERA  
  
I walked through the woods surrounding the Hork-Bajir valley I had known as home. It   
would be a fairly long hike, but I had been dead for the past few days, so I had a fair bit of   
energy to do things I wouldn't normally do. Before, if I left the valley, I flew in morph because   
it's quicker and easier to find my way back.  
Zoë. Tobias thought-speak voice filled my head and I jumped from sheer fright of being   
caught of guard. It also made me lose what I'd been thinking.  
You okay? Tobias was in red-tail hawk morph. He flew down and demorphed. "You   
okay?"  
"Uh, yeah. Of course." I tried to get rid of my shakiness.  
"Then why are you going in the wrong direction. The Hork-Bajir live in the north-west of the   
woods," he said.  
"Well, I guess that's what I get for thinking too much," I said lightly. "Tobias, call me Sera.   
Please," I looked down as I said it, and I said it quietly.  
"You'll always be Zoë to me. No matter if you change your name or hair colour or   
whatever."  
I felt a tear form in my eye and I turned away. "So, uh, which was is north-west," I asked   
him, sniffling.  
"Zo...Sera."  
"Don't, okay. Just don't."  
I felt his hands slide around my waist and pull me closer to him and he held me tightly. And   
I cried.   
"Shh. It's okay," he said.  
"No, it's not. Ok, you asked a question before and I didn't answer. Crayak killed me. Not   
Visser One. I killed me. I made a deal with Crayak, to keep you all safe. And the Ellimist, he   
brought me back. So it's not okay, okay?" I said all of this with sniffles and sobs in-between   
words.  
Tobias' grip on me slacked for a second, but he pulled me closer and hugged me tighter.   
"Don't worry about it. We've all had run ins with Crayak," he said quietly. "No big deal. You're   
here aren't you?"  
****************  
TOBIAS  
  
I held Zoë...no, Sera. I held Sera while she cried. My guilt washed away when I saw how   
much she felt. She'd made a decision that changed her life...okay, well, it killed her. But she   
still made the choice for us.  
And I still loved her.  
She may not have realized that yet, but it is true. Regardless of her name. What's not to   
love about someone who gives their own life for yours. And who said that they would do it   
again for you.  
She still looked gorgeous with brown hair. It wasn't much darker than her blond hair.   
Although, her blond hair had been longer.  
"Damn it. It's too dark. I can't get to the valley tonight," she said softly. I looked up and   
realized it was too dark to walk through the woods without getting attacked by wild animals -   
wolves, owls etc.  
"We'll stay here. We'll just light a fire - which should scare most animals away. And I have a   
couple of good morphs. I can morph it need be," I told her. She nodded. She gathered some   
sticks together and some stones to keep the fire in one place. We were, after all, in the woods.   
We didn't want to start a bushfire.  
It wasn't a particularly cold night but it was cool enough that sitting in front of a fire was the   
perfect temperature. Sera sat quietly. She'd stopped crying a short time and was now lost in   
thought, like she had been when I'd caught up with her. I had to ask her something, and I   
wasn't sure how she would take it.  
"Sera. Can I ask you a personal question?" I asked her, softly so I didn't scare her again.  
She lifted her face to look at me. "Shoot."  
"Did you....did you love me?"  
"Yes." She didn't hesitate, didn't think. She just answered. "I still do."  
I got up and sat next to her and held her again.  
"I'm sorry for what I put you through," she whispered.  
I put my finger on her lips to quiet her. Then I kissed her. I couldn't help it, I guess. But,   
hey, I'm a guy. She kissed me back and put her arms around my neck.  
*************  
2 DAYS LATER  
  
"So...did Mister Ellimist give you a background in case someone gets suspicious?" I asked her,   
as she, and the others, sat around a diner table at Rachel and Cassie's apartment.  
She hesitated. "I actually already had this life before. A long time ago."  
I'm sure everyone else felt as confused as I did.  
"Say what?" Marco asked.  
She laughed self-consciously. "I couldn't tell you before, but Zoë Carter wasn't my real   
name. My real name is Sera Crichton. My real parents and I were under witness protection. My   
parents thought it would be better if I started my new life if I lived with their friend Sam."  
"Why were you under witness protection?" Cassie asked her gently.  
"I'm not too different from Tobias, actually. Although I'm more half-human, half-alien than   
he is. Before I was born, my dad tested a slingshot theory in Earth's orbit. He got lost in space   
and he met my mum - a Sabacean. Sabaceans have similar physiology to humans. So when   
my dad found a way home to Earth, he brought her with him. The got married and had me.   
Then the authorities of Australia - where I was born - found out about my mum they tried to   
arrest her and do tests and stuff on her. But the government stopped that and put us all under   
witness protection when I was three. I've live in the States since then." She looked at us. We   
must have had weird looks on our faces, because she then said, "Hey, guys, don't get all weird   
on me. I'm still the person you knew. I'm more human than Sabacean anyway. For instance,   
Sabaceans suffer from being cold-blooded...."  
"Your cold-blooded?" Marco asked doubtfully.  
"No! Why the hell would I live here if I was. I'd be insane by now." She looked at me, saying   
sorry with her eyes. I looked at Jake. He had a look that said I don't believe her. Rachel saw   
the look too.  
"I'm not saying I don't believe you, cause I know you'd never intentionally lie, and I know   
that witness protection rules apply to everyone. But just so that everyone," she looked   
pointedly at Marco, Jake and Cassie, "believes you, is there some way that you are different   
that you can show us?"   
Sera thought for a moment. "Hey, Ax. Could you pass me that knife," she said pointing at a   
knife on the other side of the table.  
Ax passed her the knife. I realized he'd been very silent during this revelation. I guess he   
didn't know what to make of it. I guess I didn't either.  
Sera took the knife and placed it along her arm. I realized what she was going to do.  
"What are you doing?" I asked, grabbing the knife from her. She sighed and took the knife   
back and cut her arm about an inch in length. A red/blue colour blood seeped from her wound.   
It may have been a red colour, but it definitely wasn't human blood red.  
Cassie, Marco, Jake and Rachel seemed shocked. So was I, but not to that extent that they   
were. Ax was only slightly fazed.  
"It seems our group gets more and more weird everyday," he said.  
"You're not wrong there, Ax-man," I agreed.  
*******************  
SERA  
  
After I told my friends who I really was, I felt great. As if a great weight had been lifted off   
my shoulders. I only felt guilty about not telling Tobias when we first met.  
It was a great day at college, today. I settled into all my classes really well so I wasn't far   
behind on what they learnt. But during the day I got a message from Rachel that Erek the   
Chee wanted to talk to us after our last class.  
So, after last class, I headed towards Marco and Jake's apartment - also next door to Tobias'   
apartment. On my way I saw Tobias walking up ahead of me. I ran to catch up with him. Since   
last night I hadn't spoken to him and he hadn't talked to me.  
"Tobias...I..." I caught up with him, but I couldn't think of what to say without crying. But   
I'd done enough of that lately. "Tobias, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to, believe   
me," I said quietly as I walked next to him. Oh great, now I sounded like a wimp.  
He stopped and looked at me. "What are you apologising for?" he asked, confused. "I'm not   
angry at you for not telling me. I understand why you didn't. And as far as I am concerned   
you are human. Now come on, we're going to be late." He squeezed my hand and that washed   
away all my guilt.  
When we arrived at Jake and Marco's apartment, we were the last to arrive. Again. We sat   
down and Erek started his weekly report on the Yeerks. I didn't like what I heard.  
"Visser One is now sending a second invasion team to another place on Earth. The leader of   
that invasion will be Sub-Visser 5. I believe he is a student at college. He'll be using that as his   
aid to get overseas. He'll be an exchange student." Erek reported.  
"Where're they going?" I asked, a knot forming in my stomach for a reason I only sub-  
consciously knew.  
"We believe they're heading for Australia."  
"WHAT?!!!"  
"Sera, calm down," Tobias said. But he too was panicked by my reaction.  
"I'm going."  
"Sera, you can't go," Rachel pointed out.  
"Watch me. I don't care if none of you go, but there is no one to protect them down there.   
No one." I wasn't thinking clearly - even I knew that much. But I knew what I had to do. I left   
the apartment to go book a plane flight.   
********************  
I stormed all the way to the airport. So I had a good 20 minutes of storming. I was calm   
enough when I bought my plane ticket for the next day. I had a pretty good idea who had   
given them the idea for using Australia as a back-up invasion point. Me. I was the only   
Australian Human-Controller they'd had. So who else would have let them know of its   
individuality?   
My plane left at 12 noon the next day, so I had time to acquire at least one powerful morph.   
I didn't have any yet. The Ellimist had erased the two morphs from my body when he remade   
me Sera again. I knew just where to go to get one or two powerful morphs. But first I had   
another trip to make.  
I caught a cab to the hairdressers and got my hair cut to above-shoulder length. I thanked   
the hairdresser and caught another cab to the street just before The Gardens. If was after   
dark so I knew the park was closed. I walked the rest of the way The Gardens and came to   
the main entrance way for the staff. It was a three-meter fence with a locked gate.  
I didn't bother with the gate. I started climbing up the fence and climbed over it in record   
time. My next challenge would be getting inside. It was actually easier than I thought.   
Someone had forgotten to lock the door. I was too hyped up on adrenaline to realize someone   
else was there.  
I knew which animal I was going to morph...Well, wanted to morph. A Siberian Tiger. Or   
white tiger as they're more commonly known as. I found the cage and walked right in. Most   
people would be terrified about being in the same proximity to a tiger. But me? I practically   
worshipped tigers. I loved them to death. I had no fear of them. I knelt next to the tiger, who   
was dozing, and acquired its DNA.  
"You know, tigers are man-eaters," a voice said behind me. Any other time I would have   
jumped from fear. But not this time.  
"What do you want, Jake?" I asked turning around.  
"You're a pretty good gymnast to be able to climb over that fence," he said avoiding my   
question.  
I grabbed him roughly by his collar, slightly blocking his airway. "I'm even better at self-  
defense, so don't push your luck. No let me ask you again: What do you want?" I let him go   
and started walking to the exit.  
"We're going with you."  
I stopped dead in my tracks. "How are you going to explain to your parents?"  
"We're not. We're just going to say we're going on a holiday and we'll be back soon," he   
shrugged.  
I smiled and almost laughed. "Well, pack your bags. It's gonna be a rough ride."  
  



End file.
